OU Women's Tennis Dominates No. 55 Kansas, 7-0

March 15, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The 44th-ranked Oklahoma women's tennis team posted their second conference win on the season with a 7-0 victory over No. 55 Kansas at the OU Headington Family Tennis Center on Saturday. OU improves to 10-1 overall, 2-0 in conference and 4-0 against regional opponents. The Jayhawks fall to 2-3 in Big 12 play and 6-6 overall. The Sooners are now 4-1 versus ranked opponents this season.

OU sophomore Jessica Braver (Edmond, Okla.) and senior Melissa Mendieta (San Jose, Costa Rica) gave Oklahoma the early advantage with an 8-0 victory at No. 3 doubles over KU's Christin Skoda and Kim Lorenz. The Sooners clinched the doubles point courtesy of the outstanding play of junior Anda Perianu (Braila, Romania) and sophomore Heather Saluri (Des Moines, Iowa). The 34th-ranked duo remained unbeaten at No. 1 doubles (7-0) with an 8-2 win over KU's Courtney Steinbock and Paige Brown, who are currently ranked 49th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Sooners Annette Bryntesson (Perth, Australia) and Bethany Griffin (Amarillo, Texas) fell at No. 2 doubles for only the first time this season. Their seven-match win streak was halted by KU's Kristen Steinbock and Emily Haylock, who came back to win 8-6.

OU blitzed the Jayhawks in singles winning all six points while posting straight-set victories at the No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 positions. Saluri struck first at No. 4 disposing of KU's Skoda, 6-2, 6-3, and was followed by OU senior Elena Jirnova (Kiev, Ukraine), who defeated Brown, 6-4, 6-0, at No. 2. Bryntesson won 6-2, 6-3, over fellow Australian Haylock at No. 3 while Mendieta was too much for Lorenz at No. 6 winning 7-5, 6-0.

Perianu, ranked 94th in singles by the ITA, came back after dropping the second set of her match to win, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, at No. 1. OU's Griffin garnered an impressive victory at No. 6 over KU's K. Steinbock, 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-5).

The Sooner women are set to begin a four-match road trip next week against four nationally-ranked opponents. OU takes on the Texas-San Antonio on Tuesday, March 18. The Roadrunners are ranked 75th in the nation and sport an overall record of 7-2. Match time is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the UTSA Tennis Complex.

No. 44 Oklahoma - 7, No. 55 Kansas - 0
Saturday, March 15
OU Headington Family Tennis Center
Norman, Okla.

Singles
1. (94) Anda Perianu (OU) def. Courtney Steinbock (KU)          6-1, 2-6, 6-3
2. Elena Jirnova (OU) def. Paige Brown (KU)                     6-4, 6-0
3. Annette Bryntesson (OU) def. Emily Haylock (KU)              6-2, 6-3
4. Heather Saluri (OU) def. Christin Skoda (KU)                 6-2, 6-3
5. Melissa Mendieta (OU) def. Kim Lorenz (KU)                   7-5, 6-0
6. Bethany Griffin (OU) def. Kristen Steinbock (KU)             6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (10-5)

Doubles
1. (34) Perianu/Saluri (OU) def.  (49) C. Steinbock/Brown (KU)  8-3
2. K. Steinbock/Haylock (KU) def. Bryntesson/Griffin (OU)       8-6
3. Jessica Braver/Mendieta (OU) def. Skoda/Lorenz (KU)          8-0

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Women's Tennis Dominates No. 55 Kansas, 7-0

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